Tariff hike: Many needy sections yet to get relief

While a partial relief for low-end consumers of power has been provided and a large chunk of farmers also has come out of a power shock on the intervention of the government, a few needy sections are still left in the lurch in the list targetted by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission.


While consumers billed up to 120 units a month have been exempted in full from the energy and fixed rate hike, the approved tariff applicable to orphanages, old-age homes, polio homes, cancer/palliative care centres, schools for mentally challenged, deaf and blind etc., under the LT VI(D) non-domestic category is Rs 1.50 per unit, which is a 76.5 per cent increase when compared to existing tariff of 0.85 paise per unit.



Incidentally, statistics shows that the power consumption all over the state under this category was just 3 million units a year. The highest consumption is credited to the category of 41-80 units’ consuming lot  (1,782 MU), followed by the 81-120 unit category (1,774 MU).


The Regulatory Commission’s act of fixing a higher tariff than even demanded by the KSEB for domestic consumers drawing 201-300 units and 301-500 units has already drawn flak. Against a demanded Rs 5.50 per unit in lieu of the existing Rs 4.30 for the 201-300 unit category, the Commission has awarded Rs 6 per unit. In the case of 301-500 units, the revised tariff is Rs 7.50 per unit against a demanded Rs 6.70 per unit.


The consumption of power in the two categories is 861 MU and 409 MU respectively.


In the case of above 500 units category, against a demanded Rs 7.00 per unit by the KSEB, the Commission has awarded only Rs 6.50 per unit. The empathy of the Commission for those consuming more power becomes palpable in the case of HT IV(commercial), applicable to bar hotels, private hospitals etc., with a tariff of Rs 5.50 per unit up to 30,000 units and Rs 6.50 beyond it., up from a flat Rs 3.70 existing earlier. The total annual consumption in the category is 833 MU.


The LT IV Industry category, covering small and medium industries and which consumes 1015 MU a year, the tariff revision is Rs 4.25 /unit against Rs 3.25 per unit earlier.


The revised tariff for public lighting (LT IX), which has gone up from 0.90 paise per unit to a hefty Rs 2.75, registering a 205.6 per cent  increase, has also escaped the eye of the government though it is clear that local bodies are going to be burdened with heavy bills. The annual  consumption under this category is 299 MU.